No more warnings on 1-meter distancing in public vehicles

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

The warning period is over.

The Land Transportation Office 6 (LTO-6) and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board 6 (LTFRB-6) will apprehend drivers of public utility vehicles (PUVs) that violate the one-meter physical distancing rule in public transportation as a measure against the spread of COVID-19.

LTO-6 regional director Eric Lenard Tabaldo earlier said that they would implement the social distancing guidelines with penalties starting Monday, September 28.

Since Friday (September 25) until Sunday, LTO-6 and LTFRB-6 went full blast in its information dissemination to remind drivers to heed to the guidelines or they would pay stiffer fines.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, passenger jeepneys could sit around 16 persons on padded bench-type seats and 2 more passengers in front on the average.

But with the one-meter physical distance rule in public transportation, it will only accommodate six to 8 persons on the back and one on the front.

Tabaldo has also acknowledged that several jeepney drivers have decided to stop plying their route as the number of passengers could not compensate for their fuel and boundary fee.

But Tabaldo is hopeful that with implementation of the social distancing rule is the granting of the probationary fare increase across the country.

“That would depend on the central office. But it would be uniform to all – be it in the National Capital Region or here,” Tabaldo said.

He said that the move might help “to ease the pain of the situation nga nagabawas pasahero sa salakyan.”

And how much could the fare hike be? “We’re still not sure on the amount that would be approved but it could be around P15,” LTFRB-6 regional director Richard Osmeña said.

Currently, a passenger in Iloilo City will have to shell out a minimum of P10.

Recently, several transport groups have decided not to ply the streets because their daily income would not be enough.

“That’s why, we are helping and pushing that the probationary fare hike will be approved,” Osmeña said.

But pending the approval, he said that concerned government agencies will have to implement the guidelines.

Aside from LTO-6, LTFRB-6, the PNP Highway Patrol Group 6, and the Iloilo City Public Safety and Transportation Management Office did a massive information dissemination relative to President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to maintain the one-meter social distancing rule in public transport.

Under the LTO rule, a violator could be charged for overloading with a corresponding penalty of P1,078.

This would be on top of LTFRB’s violation for breach of franchise which has a penalty of P5,000.

“So, kung mag-joint operation kami with LTO, that would be P6,078,” Osmeña said.

But he hoped that the drivers would heed their call, as social distancing is being implemented as one of the safeguards to stop the spread of the virus.